Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 261: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the way the additional funding designated for the development of child and adolescent services is being expended to date. [21870/07]

Jimmy Devins (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

In 2006 €3.25 million was provided to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for the enhancement of child and adolescent services including the development of eight new teams; €7.95 million has been provided in 2007 to significantly improve both community and hospital based services and facilitate the provision of early intervention services. The multidisciplinary nature of existing child and adolescent mental health teams will be enhanced and a further eight new teams will be developed in 2007.

The implementation of "A Vision for Change" requires the recruitment of 40 additional child and adolescent mental health teams. It is envisaged that these will be provided on a phased basis over a 5 year period — 16 have already been funded. In January 2006 there were 58 approved permanent consultant psychiatric posts in child and adolescent mental health services. In January 2007 the number of approved consultant psychiatric posts in this area had increased to 72. Operational responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services was assigned to the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004 and funding for all health services, including the provision of child and adolescent services, has been provided as part of its overall vote. The Executive, therefore, is the appropriate body to consider the particular issue raised by the Deputy. My Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have the matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.